Inclusive EdTech for Special Needs: Extended TAM Predicting Teachers’ Acceptance to Use Educational Games

Vajra Vidya   Kusala; Lisana   Lisana

doi:10.31849/48atzb87

Authors

Vajra Vidya Kusala Universitas Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia
Lisana Lisana Universitas Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31849/48atzb87

Keywords:

Educational games Neurodivergent Arithmetic Mathematics teacher Technology Acceptance Model, Educational games, Neurodivergent, Arithmetic, Mathematics teacher, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Abstract

Inclusive mathematics classrooms increasingly use digital games to support diverse learners, but adoption depends on teachers’ willingness to integrate them into everyday arithmetic instruction. Evidence from Indonesia is still limited, and most studies prioritize student views rather than teachers’ decision making in inclusive settings for students with special needs and neurodivergent profiles. This study examines teachers’ intention to use educational games through an extended Technology Acceptance Model integrating perceived usefulness, enjoyment, ease of use, facilitating conditions, teaching self-efficacy , and compatibility. An online survey of 188 inclusive elementary teachers across Indonesia, collected from August to October 2025, was analyzed using PLS SEM in SmartPLS with bootstrapping (5,000 subsamples). The model shows substantial explanatory power for behavioral intention (R2 = 0.793) and moderate explanation for perceived enjoyment (R2 = 0.530) and perceived usefulness (R2 = 0.496). Behavioral intention is positively predicted by perceived usefulness, enjoyment, facilitating conditions, teaching self-efficacy, and compatibility, while ease of use strengthens intention primarily through its strong effect on enjoyment and its effect on usefulness, supported by significant indirect pathways. These results highlight practical levers for scalable inclusive EdTech, namely designing games that fit classroom routines and curriculum demands, minimizing usability barriers, and strengthening implementation through infrastructure and targeted professional learning. The study contributes a teacher centered acceptance model for game-based arithmetic in inclusive education, extending TAM to a neurodiversity context and informing evidence driven design and policy for equitable learning.

Author Biographies

Vajra Vidya Kusala, Universitas Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia

Vajra Vidya Kusala is a researcher in the Master of Informatics program at the University of Surabaya, Indonesia. Driven by a strong curiosity about how information technology can create tangible value, he focuses on translating research ideas into practical solutions for real world challenges. This article, prepared as part of his master’s degree requirements, reflects his dedication to rigorous inquiry, continuous improvement, and contributing meaningful insights to the informatics community.
Lisana Lisana, Universitas Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia.

Lisana is an Associate Professor in the Informatics Department at the University of Surabaya, Indonesia. She holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology from Vincent Mary School of Science and Technology, Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand, and earned her Master’s degree from Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. Her research examines how information technologies are adopted and sustained in organizational and educational contexts, with an emphasis on translating evidence into actionable insights for practice and policy. She has published widely in reputable academic journals and remains committed to advancing impactful, ethically grounded, and context sensitive informatics research.

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